Increased Observers and Outreach to Reduce Incidental Hooking of Sea Turtles in Recreational Fisheries along Florida’s Gulf Coast
Implementing Organization
State of Florida
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$1,394,808
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)
Funding Program
Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA
Details
Project Category
Environmental
Project Actions
Species Restoration
Targeted Resources
Sea Turtles
Project Description
The project will involve collecting information and developing a response strategy for sea turtles incidentally captured (hooked and/or entangled) at eight Florida Gulf Coast fishing piers: Pensacola Beach Pier – Escambia County; Navarre Beach Pier – Santa Rosa County; Fort Walton Beach Pier – Okaloosa County; MB Miller County Pier – Bay County; Russell-Fields City Pier – Bay County; Clearwater Beach Pier – Pinellas County; Venice Pier – Sarasota County; and Naples Pier – Collier County. The Florida Trustee Implementation Group (FL TIG) will coordinate implementation of this project with the Regionwide TIG, which also has pier sea turtle bycatch project. Specifically, the project will: • Collate information on incidental capture by excerpting information from existing Florida Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) records and from the Responsible Pier Initiative; • Review commercial and local government piers along Florida’s northwest and southwest peninsular Gulf shoreline; • Establish Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) (state) observers on larger piers during periods with high reported capture rates; • Convene an expert working group to develop a standardized response strategy for incidentally hooked sea turtles (i.e., FWC Sea Turtle Incidental Hooking and Capture Plan); • Coordinate with pier operators on voluntary implementation of the plan The goal of this project is to evaluate current conditions and develop a comprehensive response strategy for sea turtles incidentally captured (hooked and/or entangled). Additional information to inform appropriate response actions more fully are necessary to...click on "More Info" link below
Contact
Gareth Leonard(850) 508-4796
gareth.leonard@myfwc.com
Project Website
None
For official trustee information regarding the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, including information regarding the NRDA process and the status of projects, see https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/